A good load followed by a new job? Yes please

Well after picking up 1200 pounds of shred all in an hour along with some motors(to be broken down later) I got a call back for a new oilfield job. I drop my trailer and head to the guys hotel for an interview. The other guy had 8 years more experience than me in the oilfield and had also done this specific job before, but decided to show up wearing pants with a 6 inch hole in the arse region. Now us roughnecks aren't pretty but this is a swamper job not a rig job. So I got the job instead of him, that being the specific reason given to me by my new boss haha. Hello 5000 bucks a month, goodbye full time scrapping. I'll try to keep in touch but I will be working 3 weeks on 1 week off about 70-90 hours a week. Not every two weeks, EVERY WEEK. I've worked crazy shifts out here but I'm kinda scared lol.

Congrats on the new job. I believe that being a scrapper rather than laying around kept you mentally ready to get the job. Well done, Mike.

Congratulations. My son is district manager for an oil company. Based in PA. It's good money but you work for it. When I went to see him in the hospital, he was working from his his hospital bed on the phone all day and night. He's even working when he visits his sister in Missouri.

Congrats, Man. I just got myself a new job as well. It wont be pullin in that kinda dough, however. That's great for you! I betcha you'll be thinking about scrappin' all the while you won't have time to do it though!!!

Way to go getting the job by looking presentable. At least you still have your one week off for scrapping. Who knows what you could find to scrap at your new job.

I'm definitely excited about the week off to scrap. Last oilfield job I had I used to get lots of brass valves from my pumper that weighed 10 to 40 pounds a piece depending on what diameter pipe I was repairing at the time. if this job produces any scrap though it will be more likely to be iron due to the nature of the job but oilfield iron is HEAVY. I agree mike. Before I scrapped and had a family I've had periods of unemployment and you can defeat yourself mentally after so short a time. After a few weeks of laying around its easy to lose motivation or to become nervous about the process of going and getting a new job. When I went in I wasn't as presentable as I was planning to be if they called but that is because I had to get there fast. Thank God I hadn't been cleaning compressor stators. I had just the right amount of dirt to show I was a workin man but not enough to look sloppy. thankfully I had a long sleeve to cover my tats but then saw my boss has more than me haha. Still, to any kids out there without ink, think HARD about location and context before you get any I have 18 tattoos and regret all but 3. Alright the babys done crying so back to sleep I'm startin a 15 hour shift tomorrow a.m. Thanks for the support guys!

When I looked into scrapping in the oil fields I was told this story. The owner of a large oil company was buying scrap from some scrappers. One of his employees decided to inform him that he was buying back his own scrap because these guys were stealing it. The owner said he knew that they were stealing it from him, but he would have to pay someone else a lot more to clean up his rigs. Sometimes its not how hard we work, it is how much common sense we use.

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Originally Posted by Patriot76

When I looked into scrapping in the oil fields I was told this story. The owner of a large oil company was buying scrape pipe from some scrappers. One of his employees decided to inform him that he was buying back his own scrap because these guys were stealing it. The owner said he knew that they were stealing it from him, but he would have to pay someone else a lot more to clean up his rigs. Sometimes its not how hard we work, it is how much common sense we use.

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That's quite interesting. I'm not sure what to make of that. Thanks for sharing that. I'll be pondering that for the rest of the day.

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Originally Posted by SpareTimeScrapper

That's quite interesting. I'm not sure what to make of that. Thanks for sharing that. I'll be pondering that for the rest of the day.

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Sorry not a very good explanation. The owner was making money allowing the guys to steel from him. If it was a legitimate business deal the owner would be paying insurance, SS, workman's comp. wages, etc. The value of the scrap would not cover his costs. This way he sold the scrap without an investment, broke even, and had his field cleaned up. Pretty smart business arrangement on his part.

Hcoaha nice. I was in lockup with a guy that was headed to prison for six years over stealing some drillpipe. Scrapvalue he got about 500 bucks. The value of it not as scrap but as drillpipe was MUCH higher hence the six years.

All oilfield companies here recycle but only when its super beat up and not useable. But if you're in the business of repairing wellheads and batteries and get in with your lease operater(pumper) a couple busted valves or segments of schedule 80 pipe won't hurt them too bad and keeps their contractor(me) happy as hell to be cranking on a pipe wrench. Getting scrap from a drilling rig besides a random collar or nipple is unheard of though and sadly I'm now going to be in the business of rig moves and gin poles

After taking down a pretty big frac stack today I was informed it weighed 18000 lbs. My new boss said "I bet you'd **** yourself if you could take this home.". Nah that's about 1400 at scrap price. HE about **** himself because it cost at least 10 times that much brand new haha